A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Act 2 Scene 2
Helena:
O, I am out of breath in this fond chase!
The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.
Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies;
For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.
How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears:
If so, my eyes are oftener wash'd than hers.
No, no, I am as ugly as a bear;
For beasts that meet me run away for fear:
Therefore no marvel though Demetrius
Do, as a monster fly my presence thus.
What wicked and dissembling glass of mine
Made me compare with Hermia's sphery eyne?
But who is here? Lysander! on the ground!
Dead? or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.
Lysander if you live, good sir, awake.
Showing posts with label helena. Show all posts
Showing posts with label helena. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Helena
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Helena has just discovered that her friends Hermia and Lysander are going to elope. She reflects on the state of her love towards Demetrius, who shuns her.
Helena:
How happy some o'er other some can be!
Through Athens, I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste.
Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste.
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,
So the boy, Love, is perjured everywhere.
For ere Demetrius looked on Hermia's eyne
He hailed down oaths that he was only mine.
And when that hail some heat from Hermia felt
So he dissolved, and show'rs of oaths did melt.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight,
Then to the wood will he tomorrow night
Pursue her. And for this intelligence, if I have thanks,
It is a dear expense. But herein mean I to enrich my pain
To have his sight thither and back again.
Helena has just discovered that her friends Hermia and Lysander are going to elope. She reflects on the state of her love towards Demetrius, who shuns her.
Helena:
How happy some o'er other some can be!
Through Athens, I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste.
Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste.
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,
So the boy, Love, is perjured everywhere.
For ere Demetrius looked on Hermia's eyne
He hailed down oaths that he was only mine.
And when that hail some heat from Hermia felt
So he dissolved, and show'rs of oaths did melt.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight,
Then to the wood will he tomorrow night
Pursue her. And for this intelligence, if I have thanks,
It is a dear expense. But herein mean I to enrich my pain
To have his sight thither and back again.
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